The pandemic is a daunting experience with a tremendous economic impact on the entire world. It is said that over 36 million Americans have applied for unemployment in the past seven weeks.
However, the issue of the virus extends beyond economic problems and into the realm of personal security and familiar safety.
Therefore, it’s critically important to keep yourself informed on how to stay healthy and safe. All of which will be covered within this article.
Keep reading this article to uncover pandemic instructions for staying healthy.
Inform Yourself
You must understand and educate yourself on COVID-19 and the latest trends. For example, more than 3.3 million people filed initial jobless claims in the United States. Do you have everything you need to stay financially afloat during these times?
It’s your job to involve yourself in understanding how the virus spreads and why it matters.
Here’s a couple of points to consider:
- There is no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease at this time (As of May 14th, 2020)
- The best way to prevent getting sick is by avoiding being exposed to the virus
How Is the Virus Thought to Spread?
The virus is thought to spread in forms of close contact between people, ranging around 6 feet.
It may spread through droplets produced by an infected person’s mouth while talking, sneezing, or coughing. The droplets can land in the nose and mouth of somebody who is not infected. It might also spread via people who are considered to be asymptomatic.
Now that you know what to look out for, let’s take a look at how you can prevent the spread of the virus.
Wash Hands Often
Everybody washes their hands, but how well they do it determines if it’s even worth it. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds after being in public or touching your nose, sneezing, or coughing.
If you can’t access soap and water, use a hand sanitizer with 60% alcohol content or higher. Cover all surfaces of your hands to ensure even application.
Try not to touch your mouth, nose, and eyes with unwashed hands.
Avoid Contact
The next step to reduce transmission is to avoid those who are sick, even inside your home. Maintain at least 6 feet between those who are sick. Make sure to regularly clean and sanitize your home if you think someone is sick.
Create distance between yourself and other people outside the home. Some people are asymptomatic and may not know it themselves. Stay at least two-arms length away from them.
Do not gather in groups and stay out of mass gatherings.
Keeping distance is important for those who are in the risk group, as they are at the front line of danger.
Cover Yourself
When around others, try to cover your mouth and nose. First, you can spread the virus, even if you don’t feel sick.
When going to a public place, wear a mask. (Cloth coverings should not be placed on youth under the age of two, anyone with difficulty breathing, or unconscious individuals since they may be unable to remove the mask without assistance.)
The use of a mask is also to protect other people in the event you’re infected. Do not use a face mask that is intended for health workers. A face cloth is not a substitute for keeping distance between yourself and others.
Cover Your Sneezes & Coughs
If you’re in private and have no face mask, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sneeze in your elbow.
Throw tissues in the trash after you use them. Wash your hands or use sanitizer as outlined earlier.
Disinfect & Clean
Attempt to disinfect and clean all high-traffic surfaces within the home regularly. These include tables, handles, countertops, desks, phones, toilets, sinks, keyboards, etc.
If a surface is dirty, clean it with soap or detergent. This should be done prior to disinfection.
After cleaning, use an EPA-registered household disinfectant to get the job done.
Staying Healthy
So considering the majority of the points above covered staying safe, let’s cover staying healthy. Start with the following tips for mental and physical health.
Remain Positive
In these troubled times, it’s important to learn how to manage stress. Call friends, relax in the tub, play with children, walk your pets. Skip the mind-numbing activities, like drugs, alcohol, and smoking.
Have a routine in place that you can rely on. Go to bed at the usual time and wake up at a set time.
Eat meals regularly. Exercise away from the gym by doing some yoga or playing in the backyard.
Alleviate boredom and stay busy at all times. Don’t chill around the fridge and watch TV all day. Get new hobbies — read, make videos, write, cook, help kids with school, stay in touch with colleagues, friends, and family.
Nutrition Matters
Many people will want to eat unhealthily now that most are using delivery and takeout. Keep in mind that a healthy diet is important to a healthy body.
Get whole grains, vegetables, fruits in larger amounts, and meat in lesser amounts. Before you go shopping or order online, make a list so you don’t spend needlessly. Include some of the following staples:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Beans/Legumes
- Milk
- Cheese
- Eggs
- Juice
- Soups & Broths
- Sauces
- Grains
- Bread
- Seafood
- Chicken
- Beef
- Flavorings/Spices
Skip the frozen dinners since they are stocked with sodium, fat, and unhealthy calories. Limit tempting foods like cookies, ice cream, sodas, chips.
Need some tips on how to stay healthy? Try meatless meals or make hummus on your own. Frozen fruits and canned veggies are just as good as fresh.
Think about others in your community — neighbors, friends, family, those who are elderly. Help them out since they are at risk.
Online grocery shopping is great since you can avoid contact and get everything on the same day.
Need to save money? Maybe you’re strapped on cash or facing unemployment like many others.
Now that insurance is high, you might as well try to lower those costs so that you can afford proper food. Get insurance quotes and explore your options.
Pandemic Instructions to Keep You Safe and Healthy
Now that you have a reasonable understanding of how to respond to the pandemic you can keep yourself and your family healthy and safe.
No matter how you approach this situation, it’s still best to follow public guidelines and pandemic instructions so that you not only protect yourself but don’t place others at risk of infection.
If you’re interested in other articles that are pertinent to these times, check out our other posts.
Good luck and stay safe!